Author shares why Jewish tradition of burial over cremation is important
Palm Beach Daily News
November 1, 2013
Doron Kornbluth meets with Rabbi Zalman Levitin at Tuesday’s Chabad event at The Chesterfield. The author addressed the audience on ‘Cremation or Burial? The Jewish View,’ pointing out that Jewish tradition always insisted on burial, beginning from patriarch Abraham. |
Doron Kornbluth addresses Chabad program
Doron Kornbluth was surprised when he saw an ad in Florida by a Jewish funeral home offering cremation — an option contrary to Judaism’s oldest traditions.
He did research and discovered that more than a third of Jews are opting for cremation these days, a huge jump in one generation. He explores the subject in a book, Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View (Mosaica Press) and on a video at doronkornbluth.com or peacefulreturn.org.
“Most of the reasons that people are choosing cremation is because of misinformation,” said Kornbluth prior to his talk on the subject at The Chesterfield hosted by Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island.
Originally from Montreal, he is an author, international lecturer and licensed tour guide living in Israel.
“Many people believe that cremation is the environmentally conscious choice, and it turns out it’s not; it’s quite the opposite,” he said, citing environmentalists who note the large amount of fossil fuels used and pollutants that accompany cremation.
“Jewish burials are very environmentally conscious,” he added. They do not use metal caskets and embalming.
People who oppose burial think there isn’t a lot of land and that “land is for the living,” he said. “If every American were to be buried, it would take 10,000 years to use up 1 percent of America’s land mass,.”
While cremation is in generally less expensive, Kornbluth said burial is important in Jewish tradition.
“We burn garbage, we don’t burn things we love. We bury them lovingly.”
In addition, the Torah reveals the importance of burials, including all of the great patriarchs and matriarchs.
“Burial is important irrespective of whether anyone visits the grave,” Kornbluth said. “It’s important to have a permanent place of remembrance.